


Mistletoe

by Laramie



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 11:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17161238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laramie/pseuds/Laramie
Summary: "It's bloody freezing," Aaron complained, following Robert along the footpath. He wished he had put his hat on to come out, because his ears were getting cold. In his defence, he had only been planning to nip to the shop for milk for his mum. He had not been expecting to run into Robert, or for Robert to suddenly say,want to see something christmassy?





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raelee514](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raelee514/gifts).



> Hello! My first try for this pairing. I haven't caught up with live yet but I wanted to have a play with the characters and raelee gave me the prompt "first kiss under the mistletoe" and this is what I came up with! It's a teenagers alternate timeline thing. I hope someone enjoys.

"It's bloody freezing," Aaron complained, following Robert along the footpath. He wished he had put his hat on to come out, because his ears were getting cold. In his defence, he had only been planning to nip to the shop for milk for his mum. He had not been expecting to run into Robert, or for Robert to suddenly say,  _ want to see something christmassy? _ And, well, Robert was pretty fit, and so Aaron had pretty much forgotten about the milk as he agreed.

Robert had led him to the edge of the village and down this footpath between two fields. One side was empty; the other contained a few bored-looking cows. Aaron was slightly disappointed not to be walking next to Robert; it was in his mind to be closer, and even the idea of holding his hand entered his head. They weren't that close, though. They spoke occasionally; they were friends, he supposed, but no more than that. But that didn't mean Aaron didn't think about him rather more than he probably should.

"Do you  _ ever _ stop complaining?" Robert asked, sounding amused.

Aaron's stomach twisted as Robert turned to smile at him. He looked away quickly, hiding the small smile that was tugging at his lips. "When people aren't dragging me out to cold, muddy fields in the arse-end of nowhere, yeah." He stopped walking and folded his arms in protest. "'ow much further, anyway?"

Robert wheeled around and approached him; Aaron shifted slightly as he got somewhat closer than Aaron had been expecting. Robert put his hands on Aaron's shoulders. "Look, mate, shut up, and let me show you, alright?"

Aaron swallowed and licked his lips, silenced by Robert's closeness. He nodded jerkily and Robert grinned at him. Aaron forgot how to breathe when Robert grabbed at his hand and started pulling him down the path; he pretended to be reluctant still, just so Robert wouldn't let go, and would have to hold him tighter. When Robert stopped at the stile, Aaron went with his momentum to bump shoulders with him, disappointed when Robert released his hand to climb over it. His hands felt cold, and he pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over them.

Robert watched him climbing over the stile to join him in the old orchard, making Aaron feel self-conscious.

"Your ears are red," Robert said, frowning slightly. "You should have worn a hat."

"Yeah, thanks mother," Aaron said, deadpan.

Robert rolled his eyes. "C'mon then."

They walked shoulder-to-shoulder between the bare apple trees, whose branches were twisted, grey and mossy. Mist hung in them, chilly and unmoving. It wasn't at all where Aaron had expected to be today, but he found he didn't mind too much. "What are we doing here?"

"Oh, my god. Can you wait like five seconds longer?"

"One... two... three..."

"You are  _ such _ an idiot."

"Four... five."

" _ There _ !" Robert said at last, pointing at a burst of bright green nestled between the naked branches of one of the trees.

Aaron looked at it, then at Robert. "You've brought me out here to look at a  _ plant _ ?" he said, gesturing at it dismissively.

Robert looked a bit disappointed by the reaction. "Yeah, it's um... It's mistletoe," he explained.

Aaron stared at him, wondering if Robert was playing some kind of trick on him. It was fairly well known in college that Aaron was gay; rumours followed Robert, too, something about a boy who had worked on the Sugden's farm a couple of years ago. Aaron had never been particularly convinced, though.

"How did you even find it?" he asked, just for something to say. Robert's bright blue eyes were throwing off his train of thought, looking at him like that - like Aaron was worth looking at.

Robert shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed for the first time since Aaron had met him. "I, um... I walk around sometimes. This is out of the way, you know... Out of the way of my dad."

"Oh... Is he..."

"Kind of a dick," Robert grimaced. "And not really worth talking about."

"Oh..." Aaron felt like he was being told off, even though Robert had brought his father up in the first place. He didn't know what he should say.

"Sorry," Robert said, stepping nearer. "I just... never meant to talk about him here." His eyes dropped briefly, as though he was looking at Aaron's lips.

Aaron scratched his left cheek nervously with the opposite hand. "Yeah? What did you wanna talk about?"

Robert was so close. He put his hand on Aaron's shoulder and tugged him along, right by the mistletoe. "Does your mum know?"

"Know what?"

"That you're... That you're gay?" Robert looked scared even to say the word aloud.

"Yeah," Aaron said quietly, his eyes darting around Robert's face as he tried to figure out what was happening. He'd only come out for milk.

"No one knows... not even me, really..."

"Knows what?" Aaron asked, his voice hushed.

"Aaron..." Robert still had his hand on Aaron's shoulder, and now it slid up to his neck, his cheek. "Your ears are cold," he murmured, and then he leaned in and Aaron took a shaky breath because if he wasn't mistaken he was about to be kissed by the guy he had been thinking about for months.

He wasn't mistaken. Robert's lips were soft, and he clearly knew how to kiss, though he was tentative about it. Aaron sank into it, letting time float away from him as he opened his mouth and brushed his tongue against Robert's. Robert's hand was like fire against his cheek; how could he be so warm?

When they finally parted, Aaron's heart was pounding. "What was that, then?"

Robert was looking shell-shocked. His mouth was open, and he was staring at the ground somewhere behind Aaron's feet. He brought a hand to his mouth.

Aaron felt a flicker of annoyance. He didn't like being messed around, and this looked disturbingly like Robert was just experimenting with him.

Robert finally met his eyes, but still said nothing.

"Right, great," Aaron said irritably. "You don't give a shit, do you? You just know I happen to be gay so you thought you'd try it on. Well you can keep your stupid mistletoe. I'm not your toy, alright? I'm not like that."

Aaron turned around and began to march off, disappointment making a sour taste in his mouth. For a few seconds, he had really thought, he had really thought Robert was interested in him. Well, stuff that. He wasn't having anything to do with someone who -

But there was a hand on his arm, spinning him around again, and Robert was staring at him with a desperate look in his eye.

"I'm not just trying it on with some randomer," Robert croaked. "I can't say I know exactly what I want - I just - I've been wanting to kiss you for so long. I really like you, Aaron."

_ What on earth is there to like about me? _ Aaron wondered, but there was sincerity shining from Robert's face. Aaron decided on one more kiss, even if that was all he ever got from Robert, even if it was what proved to Robert that he didn't actually want Aaron at all. Just one more...

He cupped Robert's face in his hands and pressed their mouths together again. Robert made a small, eager noise that sent shivers down Aaron's spine as he leaned into it.

When Aaron pulled away, he said, "Let me know when you've figured out what you actually want then, right?"

He turned away again and walked back to the stile, trying not to think about the vulnerable, almost fearful look on Robert's face. He had sympathy for being confused about one's sexuality, of course he did, but he didn't think he had it in him to be someone else's experiment.

As he twisted over the stile, he glanced automatically back at Robert, to see that Robert was still watching him from the orchard with pink cheeks and a soft look in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love a comment if you have a mo! I'm very new to this fandom.


End file.
